It was back to the Edge at Kinver on Sunday as the group turned out to say hello and welcome to new Assistant Ranger Alex. Then it was back up to the Hill Fort to continue the battle to reduce the impact of the spiky gorse on the archaeological site (yes, I can hear you asking – we’ve been there before) but there are still areas to cut back.
Forewarned, most came padded with thick clothing and even thicker gloves – except that was for Gordon and Lisa, who were clearly practising their New Year’s resolutions and cycled to and from the site in winter lycra! The gorse fights a good battle even as it’s dying off dropping the sharp, long brown spines down your neck or inside your gloves. But Ron was soon alerting the visiting public that work was underway, as smoke billowed from the growing flames in the metalled tumbril (which serves to keep the flames off the heathland)
NT’s Alex – an active supervisor – was kept busy all day dragging the chopped stems to the fire as the group felled the shrubby gorse bushes, chatted and caught up after Christmas, as the sun tried to shine to keep us warm.
The cutting and burning was interspersed with cake o’clock where – if I do say so myself – there was high praise for Russell’s homemade mince pies (much to Gordon’s astonishment).
We were doubtless very popular all day (not!), as smoke from the flames drifted towards the main track and the Edge viewpoint. A few site visitors came to ask what was happening, but so far few offered to lend a hand. Where there was no gorse, bracken had made a very successful attempt to get re-established. So all-in-all it was a prickly, scratchy day!
So much so that we left some greenery for Head Ranger Ewan’s weekday volunteers to have another go at from Monday! Nevertheless, Alex seemed confident that we’d made an impression on the site – can you tell from the pic’s, after all it’s all a shrubby green.
Thanks to all for their efforts! Next stop on the SSNTV timeline – Wenlock Edge – likely trees, not gorse this time!
No sooner had Christmas passed, than New Year saw the Group quickly off the mark with a very satisfying workday at Wightwick Manor on Sunday, as workday leader Helen reports:
10 SSNTV’ers had sufficiently gobbled down all their mince pies and turkey to make short work of our first task of the year – a interestingly different one, but something which recurs every few years – to trim back hard parts of the yew hedges in the Rose Garden near the Wolverhampton Manor house.
This involves what looks like a very radical pruning and removal of side branches back to the central thick stems. With many visitors to the site on what started as a nice day on the bank holiday weekend, (we weren’t even the first people on site!) we had a large audience and were the star attraction.
Gardener Dan – a budding topiarist (is that even a word!) perhaps – was also happy to let some of the group apply the striking haircut trim (see pics) to another section of the hedge topped with a peacock shape cut out of the yew green. As a result, soon the bird was sitting all alone atop its wooden perch!
A few concerned members of the public were worried about just how much we were removing as all the green disappeared on one side of the row of trees. However, we were able to reassure them that we had done this before and that the yew soon grows back stronger than ever. We have completed this work on various parts of Wightwick’s garden in the past and it helps to keep the width of the ornamental borders in check as well as promoting healthy new growth.
In the morning we started the New Year in wonderful sunshine, but almost straight after lunch we were caught in a very heavy downpour. Undaunted – having started, we had to finish – the pruners sheltered under the remaining green growth and a few hardy souls pulled down their hoods and continued to drag the cut brash away from the public garden – which was now completely empty of people, except for a few hardy volunteers! The grass lawns around the rose beds and restored wooden pergola just about survived – leaving the top of the yew to be cut level by Dan with his hedgetrimmers.
As a few of the Group set off home soaking wet a little early, Dan found one more task for those remaining. Works are coming to an end to install a biomass boiler in the Wightwick outbuildings to heat the House. So having dug out some self-seeded laurel bushes from elsewhere in the garden, the last few soggy souls with pickaxe and spades in hand, started the work to fill gaps in the borders near the Tea Rooms made by the contractors with mature, transplanted shrubs.
Spurred on by homemade flapjacks at “cake-o-clock” and at lunchtime – thanks to Helen for that – as to be expected, the sun reappeared just as our workday ended – nevertheless a very enjoyable start to the New Year – thanks to all and…..
and special thanks to all the committee members and workday leaders who’ve helped throughout the year to ensure the Group goes from strength to strength.
As if those good wishes weren’t enough, then click below to listen to recorded messages from the Trust’s top brass, thanking all volunteers for their efforts during 2021:
First DG, Hilary McGrady (password: TRUST)
.followed by Midlands & East of England Regional Director, Paul Forecast:
…PS: while I’m here don’t forget there’s a new programme of 2022 workdays – members look out for the email from Vice Chair, Matt (details will be on this website Events page shortly).
…PPS: look out too for an email from your Chair to all members with details of one more local workday in 2021 at Wenlock Edge with their team on December 30th, if you’re still up for a bit more cut and burn this year!
…And as an extra bonus – more News!
Between the minces pies and turkey, you can also read about the Trust’s new Chairman – it’s most senior volunteer – who’s just been appointed via this link:
In order to make up for a workday lost to recent stormy weather, SSNTV squeezed in an extra Saturday workday at Shugborough, making it two consecutive weekends of end-to-end working after Christmas weekend at Dudmaston. …And yes, it was more trees, trees, trees…
It’s all systems go around the surroundings of the Walled Garden, as from 2022 site layout changes will in short, mean that the back becomes the front and vice versa – so there is lots to do, to start working on that changed layout.
Visitors might not notice but there’s an historic stone ha-ha around the whole of the walled garden complex. Head Gardener Caroline thinks there were also circular walks beside it – only thing is as we arrived on Saturday, as we know, only the portion beside the Sher Brook is visible (or at least it was) so our task was going to be to remove the overgrown trees and shrubs and make visible what is underneath.
Most urgently as was explained, someone is coming before Christmas to survey the wall, a boundary of large stones, kept in place just by their weight, the banked up soil and dry ditch, to keep the historically manicured gardens separate from the meadows and grazing animals. So there was an urgent need to remove the sizeable trees, most frequently holly which were trying to push through the top of the wall and which were successfully blocking off the Walled Gardens from the wider Estate.
Starting from the “back” near the Outdoor Education centre buildings and apparently site of previous hospital structures, James and Caroline explained what would happen to the spaces we were trying to clear. So it was that a small SSNTV advance party, together with the wheelbarrows of the Shugborough volunteers set about creating some gaps and fire #1 was soon glowing orange to keep the volunteers warm and burn up the cut brash.
Sunday saw the massed ranks of SSNTV’ers arrive for their last workday of 2021. Fire #2 from the end of the Saturday gradually came back to life and #3 in among the spaces newly created in the trees was able to quickly suck in all the brash the volunteers could haul up over the ha-ha onto the slightly higher ground. The all day mist and cold meant we should have paid more attention to reinvigorating centrally positioned fire #1, as with no sun in sight, everyone sought some warmth at lunchtime.
Then some clever person pointed out the ha-ha ran quite a lot further than all could easily see – and it turned out the biggest tree of the weekend – no John, even way too big for your bowsaw – was now blocking the way. Hence it quickly became attack from both ends as the young public visitors, braving the weather in the outdoor play area, saw people with bowsaws and lopers marching past to find gaps in the holly and brash dry hedge to fight a way in.
With the boundary fencing narrowing the gap there were no passing places along the ditch and so the cut material was initially stacked where it was felled, but as darkness came, it mean that only c. 50m of the whole accessible loop was left uncut – so leaving something for the Shugborough volunteers to finish.
On both days as a thank you for our efforts across the Estate during the year, Caroline had organised welcome hot drinks, cheeseboard, cake and mince pies at the end of the day. On Sunday this was admirably topped up by SSNTV’s Leela, with excellent home made quiche. (Ed.: I can also recommend the artisan camembert, cranberry & rosemary loaf.) Only thing missing was Derek’s custard tart! SSNTV numbers were high, as a few recovering group members made it out for the year’s last workday; or just turned up in the afternoon to sample the cakes! Thanks to all for those! We also welcomed – four, yes four new visitors – Deb & Rob, David & Tom all mucked in, surviving the cold and brambles – well done! Rob doing a passable impression of long-server JW in another long high-vis yellow jacket.
With that…., it’s just the Christmas weekend’s festivities to survive before the 2022 programme restarts with what’s scheduled as a trip to Wightwick Manor, to check up on the yew hedges which the Group has trimmed there in the past; and meet new-ish Head Gardener James. Some SSNTV’ers don’t think it can come quickly enough!
Thanks in part to the generosity of the NT team behind the South Shropshire Portfolio, SSNTV was able to hold its Christmas celebrations in the bunkhouse at the Mose at Dudmaston this year. The bunkhouse has been refurbished and technically is a completely different one on the same plot to that which SSNTV has used for Christmas in previous years and before Covid intervened. As a thank you for all the efforts during the year, it’s a chance to relax and recount some stories of workdays long since past and present day.
So happily last Saturday evening, this year was no different – with a roast turkey Christmas dinner; a chance to catch up and relax; and for the other day visitors to admire the uprated facilities. A few glitches aside, the conclusion was that the overall standard has been raised. It seemed like a few of the evening’s day visitors would also be keen to be back for a longer stay.
There was plenty of space in the dining room and also plenty of food on the plates. Excellent tasting turkey with all the trimmings was followed by exceptionally good home-made Christmas and Sticky Toffee puddings – well done Mags in particular!
Compliments to the chefs Chrissie, Mags and Matthew – who coped with the new kitchen – and even noticed what no other guests had done during the year – pointing out that the oven cooker hob had been fitted back-to-front, even if it did still work!
Oh yes, and for those who weren’t present and party to the discussion – what’s the question? If the answer (as yet subject to official scrutiny) is:
Ron M, Ian T, John W and David B in that order (….answers on a postcard!)
As the last couple of night owls put the world to rights deep after midnight, it wasn’t long before early riser Chris was up and putting out the breakfast stuff ready for another workday amongst the trees!
It was all about trees this last weekend as SSNTV organised a four-day weekend with three consecutive days of work on the Dudmaston estate. Sneaking in just before any further Covid lockdowns took a hold, the group met for annual early Xmas weekend of working and Christmas-ing, staying in the newly refurbished Mose bunkhouse.
Day 1 – The early starters began in the Friday sunshine with a stint of “TLC” on the saplings we planted in the Comer Wood plantation through until November 2019, actually “Captain Geoffrey’s Nursery” we were told, so the main reason why there are so many trees at Dudmaston. No doubt as one of estate’s founders he’d be pleased to see the regeneration work continuing. Some of the young trees had got away successfully, others needed more light and air, so the task to clear around them and in some cases remove the tree protectors – which the conclusion was, were doing too good a job at keeping out the light, especially so far as the young conifers were concerned.
Evening in the bunkhouse followed; and putting the decorations up – early Christmas was coming!
Day 2 – Large numbers descended as the task moved to another nearby plot on the estate. A few long servers started to recall – yes we’d been to Burf Castle iron age hill fort, adjoining the A-road from Enville to Bridgnorth in the past – so here we were back again.
Based on our past success at planting, acting Area Ranger Helen was keen to use the assembled masses to get new saplings into the ground, starting the task for c. 3,000 new plants which Helen has on order to get into the ground by early 2022.
We were introduced to a new expert with NT experience, who was keen to work with the Group. For one day at least ex Ranger “Mick” was back in just his blue jeans, rather than NT garb. New boss Helen tasked him with pointing out to the group all the latest niceties of planting the saplings to achieve maximum likelihood of success.
Compared to the Comer Wood plot, the ground here was more hospitable, much less detritus and residual stems to trip over from the contractors’ clearance of the old trees on the site. However as sweeping rain came in during the afternoon, the downside of a level open site was brought home to all those present, as the chefs conveniently raced back to the Bunkhouse to get the turkey on and enjoy the afternoon in the dry and warm!
The informal planting scheme comprised a mix of broadleaf: oak, sweet chestnut, rowan and silver birch. With the right kind of slit cut, no inadvertent air pocket in the ground, new roots trimmed to optimum size, supporting canes and the “right” kind of tree guard to the ready, the group managed c. 350 trees on one side of the slope.
As the end of the marked out rows neared, the keen pair of Mike & Helen raced round extending the rows to leave only a handful of marker canes unplanted at the end of the day.
Then as twilight arrived, it was a walk back along the lane for Christmas festivities – but that’s another story!
Day 3 – With overnighters and slightly smaller “day-tripper” numbers, including almost-newbie Jacqui and long-time returnee Chris – Welcome! – it was back to the Comer plantations for more sapling TLC.
Gradually the fight for the light with the brambles was being won. It was funny to find for example a 20 cm stick with healthy leaves at the top poking out of a green tube and fighting with the mass of bramble growth surrounding it; or fluffy-looking conifers bursting through the sides of the protectors.
With Day 2’s recent practice in mind, Helen found stocks of Western Red Cedar to help restock and replant in the gaps appearing where some of the original seedlings had succumbed to the “overgrowth”.
Another cake o’clock was marked – which is often the case on a Christmas or Bonfire weekend – with frankly too much cake! There’s a long weekend list, but thanks in particular for: Leela’s salted caramel; Maggie’s mince pies; fruit loaf, bread pudding, parkin from Mags; Lucy’s savour scones; your Chairman’s bread pudding #2.
Spot the green tubes…How many?
And now…. (four?)
By the end of Day 3 green diagonal lines were consistently reappearing. End of Sunday this year was also a chance for some to extend their weekend and rest and recuperate for another night in the Bunkhouse. Was it the excess of cakes too? – but a number of the day’s bunkhouse visitors / workers lingered on in the warm for more tea & coffee…..
A few those were further convinced by weekend organiser and previous Chair Chris, to extend their stay into the evening. As the sous-chefs stepped in, there was soup, salads, burgers topped off with hot pudding & custard, as the weekend’s leftovers disappeared.
(A Shortened) Day 4 – started and then ended shortly afterwards, with a relaxing – and by SSNTV standards – luxury hot breakfast of bacon and scrambled eggs, accompanied by juices and cereals (…and Lucy’s Day 3 dinner cold custard leftovers – each to their own!)
Then it was off home in the drizzle to wash out the mud ready for a final two workday weekend before Christmas with the Gardeners team up the road at Shugborough!
Thanks to all for their efforts, Chris B in particular; and to Dudmaston NT for making it possible.
Sunday saw the Group return to Morville Hall for its last visit of the year and a chance to wish Mel and Andrew a Merry Christmas.
Nine members were present with Lisa taking on the challenge to cycle from Kidderminster (17 miles) to the workday, although partner Gordon was on hand to transport her and her bike back home in the car at the end of the day. Well done for that (the cycling that is!) May be we should recognise additional work hours as part of our green credentials?
As usual at Morville there were numerous different jobs for SSNTV’ers to pick from. The main task – in scale – was to reduce the top of the copper beech hedge to the rear of the Hall. After much debate the trim equated to about 1.5 meters ( two years growth). Gordon and Russell, with a little help from your workday leader took on this task, greatly helped by the ladders Gardener Guy had delivered from NT Dudmaston. Lisa provided the support services throughout the day, removing cuttings to the bonfire.
Down at ground level Mandy, Lucy, Leela and Jackie did sterling work removing the unwanted undergrowth around and between the trunks of the long yew hedge, such as elder shoots which were trying to blend into the new yew growth.
Eric took on removing the detritus from around one large holly adjoining the fruit tree wall, clearing it of ivy and raising the crown so that the orchard and the wall could be appreciated.
David B and Neil were the roving workers, moving from job to job as the day progressed. They were the first to start and finished their initial task even before the workday leader had got his camera out to capture the “before”. Two spindly, poorly sited holly trees were very severely coppiced from under a large pine! Next they moved on to planting spring bulbs in the grass banks, before collecting leaves from in and around the pond. Covering it all with protective netting turned out to be one task too far for the day!
Hidden away from sight all day, Matt tended the bonfire which was constantly fed by all in the group. With overcast skies and rain the night before, he did a good job of smoking out most of the nearby residents, at least for the first half of the day!
Workday’s end soon came in a rush, with even more darkness descending, as Mel provided Christmas crackers and hot mice pies for all, as they sheltered from the day’s cold.
Another year of gardening is now over for SSNTV at Morville Hall. See you again doubtless, in the spring.
After last week’s storm it was good to get out and about on a sunny day. Today was the second of four hedgelaying workdays on the Attingham estate. Nine vol’s enrolled including our latest SSNTV new member, who thought it might be fun (…the fool!)
The transporting of the stakes, heatherings and tools to the site tool a while, as we are slowly getting further and further from the car park. But with a practiced team we were soon well into the work, including our newbie, who after a little training was soon showing a natural talent for hedgelaying. A further 30m was plashed (laid); and with only one hint of a shower I think we did rather well.
We missed yellow-jacketed John – hope you feel better soon – but there are two more chances to come and play in the New Year during this hedging season.
A special thanks to Christine who kept us supplied with beautifully sharpened stakes all day. Either that or she was supplying the Attingham woodchip boiler…
Soon we will have done so much you will only be able to appreciate the work done from space!
Organiser-in-chief and Saturday workday leader Helen starts the story of the recent weekend at Dudmaston…..
Well it was all change this year for our Bonfire weekend. No base camp, no fireworks and lovely Ranger Mike’s final time working with us before moving on to pastures new. It could have been a down-hearted affair, but we rose above all this and managed, fuelled by generous helpings of cake to have a marvellous time with the biggest numbers of the year present both during the working day and remaining into evening – as David would say, enormous!
The task was to clear the Ice House (Gerards) wood at Dudmaston of unwanted small shrubby tree regrowth and tough brambles that had taken over once again since our last visit pre-Covid – nearly overwhelming the footpaths through the area.
How satisfying to see that although there was re-growth, it was nothing to what was there previously. It was good too, to discover that under the brambles, the dead hedges that we had created on the last visit were still in places rotting down slowly, providing great cover for wildlife. This time we were allowed a fire instead, which was how it should be on Bonfire night.
For some after lunch there was a short ride in the NT truck deep into the Dingle to inspect a recently fallen beech tree blocking the circular winter visitor route. Though with size of the tree and Mike’s chainsaw giving up, it proved to be a short-lived detour as the subgroup returned to Ice House wood for the rest of day, as that would have to await more resources.
Big tree, little saws!
There was a slight panic too, with the question, with so much progress on clearance, would we have enough wood left to fuel the evening bonfire celebrations – but happily Mike came to the rescue. Finding another couple of decaying candidates, his tidy-up of broken and rotten branches and stems with a sufficiently cooperative saw, yielded some super logs that would keep the bonfire toasty warm for us all evening.
Additionally we were almost spoilt through the two days, being treated by Op’s Manager Gow, to cakes and hot drinks back in the Gardeners bothy.
Revived, we all headed back to the woods to enjoy our Saturday evening BBQ of burgers, sausages, & baked potatoes. With the big numbers, it was great catch up, chatting and eating in the Wood. We also took the chance to give Mike a proper SSNTV send off, after more than 20 years help with the group – it looked like he appreciated our thank you gift! Thanks too, to member Simon’s lamps to floodlight the otherwise dense darkness between the tall trees.
Before
After
I think this was one of the highlights of the SSNTV calendar so far – so a big thank you to everyone for making it such a success!
Sunday, second workday – new workday leader, Russell – continued for those who had enough stamina after the Saturday efforts and an evening of food and drink. Numbers were down a little on Saturday, but still double-figures to keep assistant ranger Helen company – with Mike at home with his feet up. Hence the informal search for the old ice house began in earnest. We moved along to the end the ridge from Saturday’s spot, to where we could just see the end of Big Pool among the shrubbery. The natural bowl in the slopes, near the overgrown steps which we could make out under the brambles and tree regrowth might be home for the old ice house, or so we thought.
Throughout the day we mixed the damaged and unwanted regrowth with the greenery of the slashed brambles on the bonfire – and crossed our fingers and hoped we wouldn’t inconvenience the traffic too much on the nearby A-road with the copious clouds of black smoke – but all day nothing of an ice house was revealed!
Mountain goat territory
Brashing rolling techniques
Sunday too, was a day of record numbers – for cake! Don’t think there were ever so many on offer from multiple chefs – a real sugar-rush to keep all present fuelled. My particular favourite: the deep cream and jam of the Victorian sponge, after the chocolate cake, dutch apple cake, fruit loaf, rice crisp cake, parkin, cherry cake, lemon drizzle, ginger….
Ex chair Chris delighted in waving a big platter in front of the few lost members of the public who reached the closed gates to the gardens, as he redirected them around the Estate.
Black smoke heading to the A442
By the end of the two days, some open patches of ground were successfully revealed.
There was talk once again – “…they said that last time…”, a few remarked, but then Covid intervened – of recreating some wider views over the Pool from the Wood (for which further adjacent patches of brambles will need to be tackled, along with perhaps a few unwanted shelter-belt trees).
…Perhaps, next visit in December might also include some carpentry work on the slightly in need of TLC steps from Poolside to top of the ridge in the Wood.
There’ll be a bunkhouse on offer too then, and roast turkey instead of…or is it, as well as more cake!
Sometimes our volunteers don’t get enough credit for getting out of bed early and trekking to the worksites; for all they endure and the work they get done!
Last Sunday for example, when your workday leader left the house there was torrential rain – so, what would it be like at the other end? Quick check in advance any changes of plan today? No, says the slightly curious NT voice at the other end….
Already at the start, the motorway journey to Wenlock is eventful, dark skies ahead and two crashed cars, parts strewn across the motorway. Still get past before anything closes….
Heading to the Edge past NT Dudmaston – no, stop, what’s this A-road closed and no diversion signposted. Need to make a big detour back via Kinver….. Ah yes, shortcut past the Rock Houses – still pouring with rain. But ok, with the clocks going back, an early start means it shouldn’t be a problem for the Workday Leader to still arrive on time.
But spoke too soon – minor roads round Kinver all flooding. Oops, what this – big puddles; and this one too deep for this car – oh NO, something’s jammed against the wheel and now clattering around having fallen off in the deep water – is it mine or someone else’s? Stop to pick up the loose pieces – what’s that noise – more bits not in the right position underneath….
…Spare bits (pictured later)
Call ahead to rest of the Group, might be delayed – good job, I’ve not got all the tools with me today! But there are visitors expected – great first impression that will make!
Eventually back underway, gently does it. Another call to update – what rain they say, we’ve all arrived, sitting waiting in the sunshine! Finally reach the site – first time I’ve arrived at the workday and am already soaking wet!
Four “Outwood Social” visitors make it to the day. Off we all trudge along the bridleway. It’s the same task as last time at Roman Bank on the Edge, earlier in October, widening the track for the public, clearing the decaying and overhanging trees and shrubs.
Safety talk to remind everyone what to look out for, especially jumping bowsaw blades, hence strong gloves recommended . Then I remember we’ve got the extra new tools out this weekend – so take a look at the new saws…Wait, what’s that red stuff on my finger…blades very sharp indeed, as I pick one up. I haven’t even got my goves on yet!
Fire on water?
Ah, ha, a good challenge for the newbies, in patches given the overhanging green, there’s insufficient light and plenty of mud! The fire starters take on the challenge, almost build the first fire for the brash on an island in the water.
Sun comes out – I start to dry!
Cake o’clock – volunteers all like the chocolate brownies, your WDL has baked (eat your heart out Leela and Mags!).
That much brownie was left, …they even scraped the bits out!
Good news – visitors doing well, all getting stuck in, navigating the mud and the smoke…
..blowing in the right direction
…in the wrong direction
Ron & fire #2
Lunch in the dry, Eric the Viking has brought his bivouac cover just in case, logs found for dry-ish seating!
…..Which is the Viking, the WDL, the vol’ with 5,000 hrs under his belt?
Next…more for your WDL to do – organise handover of belated volunteer long service award. Well done Jimmy 15 years! Coincidentally handed over by the same man from the NT who did the job at SSNTV’s 40th Anniversary bash. One more thing – get the members to sign a leaver’s thank you card, trying to keep it clean in the mud!
Oh, yes and just take a few photos of all the action!
An afternoon of burning the brash; NT’s Kate & Al in action with their chainsaws; SSNTV’s Ian disappearing out of sight down the track in the direction of Wilderhope YHA. Will WDL have to go and find him?
Fire #3 – Sourcer, Ron & his apprentice!
Wind getting up, blowing strongly now – will we have to stop early? Enough gaps in the trees to stay safe; we finish the task.
Can’t quite manage 4 fires in one day, Ron (and David) disappointed. But the widened bridleway gives up enough material, already cut and piled up ready for next time.
Back to the car park job a well done; blowing a gale now. Half expecting a branch now to come down on top of the car to round off the day! Freezing cold as I strip off my wet and muddy clothes, before the journey home to see how much water there still is across the roads (answer: it’s still there in Kinver)
All in day’s volunteering for a WDL in particular!
– – – – – –
PS: We’ve since had some good feedback from Leanne i/c @ Outwood that all the visitors enjoyed their day. So sounds like they may well be back out with us when we’re at Wenlock next in January ’22!
Shropshire and Staffordshire National Trust Volunteers 